Conference '11: Utah Archives - Outdoor Writers Association of America

Pew Environment Group, members, connect during post-conference hike

OWAA staff — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:57:07 +0000

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BY BRIAN GEIGER
The 2011 conference at Snowbird provided the Pew Environment Group with a welcome opportunity to introduce OWAA members to the proposed White Pine Wilderness and to talk about how and why Pew goes about the work of giving some shared public lands the “gold standard” of protection.
Snowbird is in the middle of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest and is adjacent to areas proposed for wilderness designation by Save Our Canyons, a local conservation group, and a host of area stakeholders. Legislation to safeguard the area — the Wasatch Wilderness and Watershed Protection Act — was introduced in the last Congress by Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah.
Pew began their post-conference hike at the trail head about a mile from the Cliff Lodge. A group of OWAA members joined Save Our Canyons Executive Director Carl Fisher, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities watershed specialist Laura Briefer and Pew staffers Dave Bard, Brian Geiger and Lindsay Woods. They took a morning walk up the White Pine trail, still wet from the record snowpack, and hiked along swiftly flowing creeks, across patchy snow and past several talus fields blanketing the mountainsides.
The popular Wasatch-Cache National Forest attracts more visitors each year than does Yellowstone National Park. Its high alpine landscape provides spectacular views, clean water and phenomenal recreation opportunities. The area is a critical habitat for a number of animal and plant species, including moose, black bear and golden eagles. Ecological continuity is the key to sustaining these species. Unfortunately, the current landscape and boundaries are fragmented, which can interfere with species migration.
Legislation to protect this part of the forest, which serves as the watershed for more than 60 percent of area residents, is the result of locally-driven efforts by officials, ski resort owners, the mountain biking community, small-business owners, conservationists, heli-skiing operators and residents.
Working with stakeholders to develop a legislative proposal from the ground up is a hallmark of the Pew Environment Group’s wilderness work. If local interests are satisfied that their issues are being heard and addressed, the likelihood that their members of Congress will champion a proposal and that Congress will adopt it is greatly enhanced.
The legislation that emerged is a balanced measure that preserves recreation opportunities, provides certainty for businesses, sustains the Salt Lake regional watershed and permanently protects incredible swaths of the Wasatch range for future generations to enjoy. At this year’s conference, a handful of OWAA members and Pew staff saw firsthand why preserving this area is vital for the region’s residents and visitors alike. For more information,
visit www.LeaveItWild.org.
Brian Geiger is manager of Pew Environment Group’s Campaign for America’s Wilderness. Contact him at bgeiger@pewtrust.org.
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TRCP tackles conservation challenges facing American hunters and anglers

OWAA staff — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:46:15 +0000

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BY KATIE MCKALIP
Snow and sun, professional networking and friendly competition. The 2011 conference represented the best of what OWAA gatherings offer members, and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership is proud to support the nation’s oldest and largest group of outdoor communicators.
OWAA members who traveled to Utah had the chance to learn more about the TRCP’s work on behalf of hunters and anglers, discuss conservation issues with TRCP staff and socialize at a memorable TRCP hospitality suite.
Unprecedented challenges face the sportsmen’s community as our outdoor traditions confront attacks — budgetary and otherwise — that could undermine prime fish and game habitat, public access to lands and waters, and inadequately fund critical conservation programs. Following are TRCP focal issues that could hold the key to America’s outdoor heritage:
• The controversial Wilderness and Roadless Area Release Act would open to development tens of millions of acres of vital habitat. Most sportsmen understand that roadless areas provide unparalleled habitat and hunting and angling. While roads are important for enabling access, they increase big-game vulnerability and can result in shorter seasons and fewer tags — and can harm spawning habitat for fish.
Roadless lands also provide a wealth of economic benefits. Signed by 270 hunting- and fishing-focused businesses and organizations from across the country, the TRCP-led “Banking on the Backcountry” emphasizes the economic value of backcountry lands. Signatories believe that the federal government should maintain maximum roadless acreages, thereby supporting sustainable, backcountry-dependent economies.
• The Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development coalition, whose members include the TRCP, the National Wildlife Federation and Trout Unlimited, has worked for years to revise the approach to leasing federal lands for oil and gas projects. New reforms the BLM implemented, in part due to SFRED efforts, help ensure that public lands are conserved while also utilized to contribute to the nation’s energy needs. Consequently, an Interior Department report documenting a decrease in formal lease protests in 2011 came as no surprise to the sportsmen.
“Fish, wildlife and citizens deserve a federal lands management system that assures a balanced, multiple-use approach to the leasing and development of public mineral interests,” said the TRCP’s Steve Belinda in response. “The old system was a source of conflict and litigation and failed to facilitate public involvement except via protests.”
• Recently, hundreds of sportsman-conservation groups from 28 states advocated safeguarding the health of America’s water resources. In a letter to the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers, the hunters and anglers supported the agencies’ efforts to clarify which “waters of the United States” are protected by the Clean Water Act.
Simultaneously, Congress is attempting to block restoration of lost CWA protections to waters and wetlands that provide flood protection and critical habitat. Appropriations bills funding the Corps and EPA bar action in 2012 and beyond. These and other harmful measures attack America’s most important water law. With budgetary debates escalating, this troubling situation could intensify.
• Senate legislation facilitating cleanup of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was lauded by a recreational-angling alliance. The RESTORE the Gulf Coast Act would dedicate 80 percent of penalties charged to BP to Gulf recovery. Members of the Gulf Spill Recreational Fishing Response Group, convened by the TRCP to guide rehabilitation of fisheries, habitat and sport-fishing economies devastated by the spill, commended the bill.
The TRCP welcomes the opportunity to inform OWAA members about threats facing our natural resources, fish and wildlife populations, and hunting and angling traditions. Your active involvement — and your ability to communicate these threats to your readers, listeners and viewers — can ensure our continued ability to enjoy, as T.R. described it, a “life in the open.”
TRCP Director of Media Relations Katie McKalip serves on OWAA’s executive committee. Contact her at kmckalip@trcp.org.
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A first time for everything

OWAA staff — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 21:31:44 +0000

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BY MIKE MCKENNA
For the most part, there are two things that just about all writers can agree on: You never turn down a free drink, and the first lines are usually the hardest to write.
In fact, firsts in general can be the toughest part about being an outdoor writer. There’s nothing quite like the first time you see your work in a new publication, or the first time someone besides your mom tells you you’re good, or the first time an editor rips you one from Albuquerque to Bangor.
The first time at a writer’s conference can be quite a memorable experience, and quite nerve wracking, as well — especially the first time at a national event like the 84th Annual OWAA Conference, held July 9-11, in Utah’s spectacular Little Cottonwood Canyon.
So naturally, I was a bit nervous as I made my first trip to participate in OWAA’s annual affair. Sure, I’ve been involved with other professional writers’ clubs for years and have even spent my fair share of time in newspaper and magazine offices and staff-frequented bars (which are technically more like cults than writers’ clubs). I’m even on the board of the Outdoor Writers Association of California.
But as impressive as the other groups are, they’re regional. OWAA is made up of some of the best writers, editors and photographers from every nook and cranny of the country. So I was as apprehensive as an adolescent on prom night as I entered the Cliff Lodge at Snowbird on a bluebird Saturday morning, as the sun brilliantly sparkled on the remnants of Utah’s trademark “Greatest Snow on Earth” still clinging to the slopes. (Last season, Snowbird received an insane 783 inches of the Beehive State’s famous “champagne powder” and was open to skiing and boarding until July 4!)
But as soon as I put my nametag on, which in bold bright green declared that I was a “First Timer,” those nerves vanished faster than cupcakes at a four year-old’s birthday party — or better yet, like free drink coupons at a writers’ conference.
That’s because most OWAA members are about as unabashedly friendly and welcoming as little kids. I was instantly welcomed to the group and chatted up by folks from Maryland and Missouri, New Hampshire and New Mexico, Colorado and California, Virginia and Washington (state, as east coasters often like to clarify).
Besides being welcoming, the conference was extremely valuable as both an outdoor writer and editor — and I’m not just reporting this because my publisher paid for the trip.
The conference seminars, the roundtable small discussion groups at lunch and the hospitality suites (what I can remember of them) all fulfilled the goals I had when signing up. The OWAA conference not only supplied material I could use for stories and allowed me to meet writers and photographers who cover my region, it also allowed me to meet the editors of publications I’d like to write for, and taught me a few things about banding and the Web world. It also gave me a new goal for next year’s conference in Fairbanks, Alaska: have a far better showing at the annual push-up contest!
From the friendliness and accommodations to the food and the breathtaking views of Utah’s Wasatch Range, the first-timer experience at the OWAA conference couldn’t have been better. Heck, one of the local vendors even told me where I could sneak off to catch some cutthroats. It was, after all, an outdoor writers’ conference.
It seems like, overall, OWAA is comprised of people pretty much like me. Folks from all across the land who love to write, have a passion for the great outdoors and who would never turn down a free drink.
Mike McKenna is the managing editor of Sun Valley Magazine. When he isn’t wrestling with his two young boys, acting amorously towards his wife or chasing after trout like they owe him money, Mike is usually drinking beer and slaving away on his award-winning newspaper, magazine and humor writing. Contact him at michael@sunvalleymag.com.
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Summer skiing at Snowbird

OWAA staff — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:34:46 +0000

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BY BRETT PRETTYMAN
Skiing was not supposed to be an option when OWAA picked Utah’s Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort as the site of the 2011 annual conference. And, in a normal year, skiing would not be something resort officials could offer in July. But this year is anything but normal and when Snowbird announced it would be staying open to the public on weekends through July 4, it suddenly seemed possible that OWAA members could be skiing during their 84th conference.
So in addition to packing hiking boots, fishing rods, cameras and families into planes, trains and automobiles to get to Snowbird for the July 9-11 conference, some attendees may be bringing along their skis. Well actually, they won’t need to worry about drawing crazy stares while driving through Arches National Park with skis on their car rack in July — Snowbird will get them outfitted.
There are a couple caveats required to participate in the skiing. Snowbird, as of June 9, received 776 inches of snow since last October. The count was going up as I talked to Snowbird representative Emily Moench about this event. That is more than 64 feet of snow! Of course, there won’t be that much around when conference starts, but there may be enough to run from the top of Hidden Peak, at 11,000 feet, to the base of mountain. As of this writing there was still a snow base of more than 160 inches at the ‘Bird. Conditions permitting, skiing or snowboarding will be available for up to 20 OWAA conference attendees.
There should be enough snow, conditions pending, but it won’t be the usual fluffy stuff that earned Utah “The Greatest Snow on Earth” moniker. You will have to come back in the 2011-12 winter to experience why our snow is considered the best on the planet.
The plan now is to make at least, and maybe only, one run on July 8. Those 20 skiers, and I’m planning to be one of them, will be the last of a record-breaking 2010-11 season for Snowbird and Utah. This is the third time in resort history that the ski season has made it to July 4th, matching records set in 1995 and 2005. It is unclear if allowing OWAA members to ski will be considered part of the 2010-11 season. But even by going to July 4, Snowbird surpassed, by one day, its longest season of 201 ski days set in 2005.
OWAA officials picked Snowbird for several reasons, including a reduced room rate for its “off season,” never expecting to be able to use the “Ski” in Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, but the opportunity is there and the folks at the resort are excited to give conference attendees the opportunity to ski in July.
Crazy, but true. Hope to see you on the slopes.
— Brett Prettyman is the 2011 OWAA Conference Local Committee Chair. A member since 1992, he is also a member of the OWAA Board of Directors. Prettyman is also an outdoor/recreation writer for The Salt Lake Tribune and author of “Fishing Utah,” second edition. Contact him at brettp@sltrib.com.
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Salt Lake City: Updated and close to everything

OWAA staff — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 17:28:15 +0000

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BY SHAWN STINSON
If you haven’t been to Salt Lake City in the past few years, you’re in for an eyeopening ride — whether it’s on the nearby ski slopes or the sleek light rail transit system. Since hosting the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, this city of more than 183,000 has gone from good to great. With more than $1.5 billion of construction projects in final stages in the central business district alone, and the slated 2012 completion of “Downtown Rising,” an ambitious mixed-use development on two blocks in the heart of downtown, Salt Lake City stands ready to join the ranks of the major metropolitan centers of the West.
Spurred on by its hosting role in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, Salt Lake began reinventing itself during the past decade. It started with improved infrastructure: rebuilt freeways, airport and convention center expansions, and a major light-rail system. All of those features made the city more accessible and desirable. A new light rail line from Salt Lake City International Airport is planned for completion in 2013, making it easier than ever to whisk into Salt Lake’s vibrant downtown in minutes. One of 16 “silver-level” bicycle friendly communities across the country, according to the League of American Bicyclists, Salt Lake now sports a new bicycle transit center, replete with showers and lockers, in the Intermodal Hub which ties together all train, light rail and bus systems downtown.
In addition to its easy accessibility from anywhere in the country, Salt Lake has established itself as a major outdoor destination in a cosmopolitan setting. Salt Lake’s world-class ski resorts — Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude — are all within 30 minutes of such amenities as the AAA Five Diamond Grand America Hotel and its posh spa, or the Hotel Monaco. Entertainment options abound, too. Salt Lake is home to professional opera and symphony companies and hosts numerous Broadway Across America musicals, not to mention professional sports teams.
The city and its nearby canyons tempt diners with an appetizing selection of restaurants, populated by world-traveled chefs cooking local and regional ingredients and serving them with award-winning wine lists. From Rocky Mountain cuisine to superb sushi, it’s all here.
Shawn Stinson is the Director of Communications at the Salt Lake City Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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The Secret's Out: Cecret Lake a great hiking destination

OWAA staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:46:41 +0000

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BY BRIAN BRINKERHOFF
Early July often means fireworks throughout the country, but Utah’s spectacular high elevation fireworks should just be beginning as you attend the 2011 OWAA Annual Conference at Snowbird Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Colors blanket the mountainsides from late June through August and are something to savor as you hike the lush green meadows. Vista views overlooking the landscape are unforgettable and serene hidden lakes will reward you if you schedule time along these alpine trails.
Little Cottonwood Canyon offers a variety of great hiking opportunities for conference visitors. Attending the OWAA Conference without sampling a few of these nearby wonders is like visiting a fine restaurant without tasting anything on the menu. Set aside at least a half day to breathe deep the cool morning air and fill your memories with all the brilliant colors your eyes can drink in.
Albion Basin hikes are in the neighborhood of 9,000-11,000 feet and catch many visitors by surprise. It is often more rewarding to seek shorter and easier hikes unless you are sure you can handle the bigger challenges. Two of my favorite easy routes in the area include the Albion Basin Trail and Cecret Lake.
ALBION BASIN WILDFLOWERS
Early miners originally came searching for silver and gold, but today’s most striking colors fill the hillsides as summer visitors seek the vivid array of colors filling the hillsides. Above average snow- pack in 2011 should result in vibrant early July viewing, unless cool weather delays snowmelt significantly.
Albion Meadows Trail is a gentle climb through some of the most vibrant colors and fragrances of the area. The trail begins at the large lot near the Albion Day Lodge and Ski Shop. Follow the trail southeast through the pines and open meadows until you have had your fill of colors. Many families bring a picnic lunch to enjoy some- where along the route. It is also a popular romantic stroll for couples.
CECRET LAKE TO HIDDEN PEAK
“Cecret Lake,” as originally spelled by resident miners, is also spelled “Secret Lake” on some maps and is approximately 450 feet higher than the trailhead in Albion Basin. The Sunnyside Chairlift Trailhead parking area is approximately 2 miles past the town of Alta on a gravel road, suitable for two-wheel-drive vehicles.
Cecret Lake is a sparlking hidden treasure, tucked away until the end of your easy journey. Interpretive signs placed along the route help with wildflower identification. Bring insect repellant to combat mosquitoes that linger around the shoreline — especially during the morning and evening hours. Fish are not currently found in this water, although stocking is being considered. Look for salamanders in the area.
For a more aggressive adventure, experts may want to consider Cecret Lake as the first leg to the summit of Hidden Peak, by head- ing to Sugarloaf Pass, between Mount Baldy and Sugarloaf Peaks, and following the east ridge route to Baldy. The climb along this trail is approximately 1,600 vertical feet. The Mt. Baldy Trail then traverses to Hidden Peak at 11,000 feet. You can then catch a free tram ride down to Snowbird Resort (during operating hours).
ALPINE FISHING
Anglers willing to hike a few miles and climb several hundred feet can find a number of high elevation waters with fine fishing for small trout. You will want to be on the waters very early for best success. Flies and lures can be effective, although fish can be extremely wary and challenge your catching abilities.
Lakes just east of Albion Basin through Catherine Pass include Lake Mary (lake trout and brook trout), Lake Catherine (brook) and Twin Lakes (Bonneville cutthroat). Fishing pressure is relatively limited with general limits and regulations.
In Big Cottonwood Canyon, Lakes Blanche, Florence and Lillian all have brook trout. Silver Lake at the top of the Big Cottonwood Canyon highway offers some easy brook and rainbow trout fishing. A level boardwalk stroll is popular here.
Below Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon at the White Pine Trailhead, a hike to Red Pine Lake and White Pine Lake can also be worth a visit for those wanting to wet a line. Each hike will require some effort and most anglers plan an overnight camp to ensure prime fishing opportunities. Anglers can also be found in Little Cottonwood Creek throughout the canyon bottom after spring runoff subsides.
WILDLIFE
Mule deer frequent the entire area, but common wildlife also includes moose in the wetlands and mountain goats in the rocky crags. Other wildlife viewing opportunities include a myriad of insects, squirrels, salamanders, porcupines, songbirds, humming- birds and raptors.
TIPS AND REMINDERS
Start early. You will want to be on the trail before sunrise or in the early evening to beat the heat. Plan enough time to adjust to the altitude as you hike. Return before dark.
Stay hydrated. Summer months can be hot and dry. Many folks underestimate the amount of water they need. Bring extra.
Be Prepared. Be ready for brilliant sunshine and adverse weather conditions. Sunblock is a must to prevent a burn at this elevation. Pay attention to rapidly changing weather in the high country. Let others know where you are going and when you plan on returning. Consider technology that will allow you to connect with others in case of emergencies, such as the Spot Satellite Messenger.
Maps: USGS Brighton.
Jurisdiction: Wasatch National Forest.
— Brian Brinkerhoff is host of “Backcountry Utah,” Utah’s outdoor radio magazine on the Backcountry Radio Network. He co-authored “Best Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City,” second edition. He is also host of Utah Outdoor Adventure Expo. Contact him at radio@backcountrynetwork.com.
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Adventure awaits you in Utah

OWAA staff — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:06:42 +0000

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BY LEIGH VON DER ESCH
On behalf of the state of Utah, it is our pleasure to welcome you to the 2011 Outdoor Writers Association of America Conference, July 9-11, at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort.
Utah represents the best of both the Rocky Mountains and the Desert Southwest. In Utah you can explore the state’s 26 designated scenic byways, five national parks, seven national monuments, two national recreation areas, one national historic site, six national forests and more than 40 state parks.
Impressive vistas, inspiring landscapes and exciting adventures are around every corner whether you choose to ski, hike, climb, mountain bike, enjoy whitewater rafting, or discover birds and wildlife. Utah is also unique in that its international airport is located minutes from downtown Salt Lake City and less than an hour from world-class skiing and recreation. Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is a short 29 miles from the airport. That means you can be checked in and skiing or hiking in less than an hour.
Utah is a land of four distinct seasons. In July, the average temperature ranges from 62 to 92 degrees, the perfect temperatures to enjoy the outdoors. Utah is abundant in lakes and rivers, which make fishing, boating, rafting, kayaking and canoeing popular summer activities. Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area and Green River offer renowned trout fishing. The Colorado River, just outside of Moab, offers scenic floats and exhilarating whitewater. Hiking and biking are other ways to experience Utah’s natural beauty in the summer. Whether exploring southern Utah’s red rock canyons or northern Utah’s alpine forests, you are sure to lose yourself in the moment. When visiting Utah in the height of summer, you will want to pack for warm weather but also bring a jacket for the cool mountain nights. Be sure to bring along your favorite water bottle and sunscreen for any outdoor adventures.
Beyond the outdoor recreation opportunities, we hope you take time to enjoy Utah’s rich culture and history. Some of the most noteworthy attractions include Golden Spike National Historic Site, the Pony Express Trail and Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
From Native American artifacts to award-winning art, Utah offers a diversity of museums and galleries. Salt Lake City is home to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, featuring permanent collections and traveling exhibits from around the world. The new Utah Museum of Natural History, slated to open this fall, features a collection of 1.2 million pieces from around the world, many representing Utah’s natural history. The Anasazi and Edge of the Cedars State Park Museums in southeastern Utah allow visitors to experience life in the ancient Puebloan culture. Edge of the Cedars Museum houses the largest collection of ancestral Puebloan artifacts in the Four Corners Region. The North American Museum of Ancient Life at Thanksgiving Point, just minutes south of Salt Lake City, boasts the world’s largest collection of mounted dinosaur skeletons.
Complementing Utah’s diverse scenery is a plethora of dining and shopping opportunities. True to its heritage, Utah features bold western cuisine characterized by southwestern flavoring, award-winning French and Italian fare and fusion cuisine, Thai, Indian and other eclectic culinary experiences. Visitors can also enjoy one of Utah’s microbreweries. Utah Brewers Cooperative (Wasatch and Squatters Brewing) was named the mid-size brewery of the year at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival.
Shoppers will find malls, factory outlets, antique shops, galleries, and boutiques that offer something for everyone. From large shopping malls in Salt Lake City and the unique shops of Park City to handmade craft stores in charming small towns, great shopping is available throughout the state.
We want you to experience Utah’s best! As the 2011 host state, we are excited to provide conference attendees with pre- and post-conference FAM trips. Experience why people fall in love with Utah! We have teamed up with our state travel partners to offer you trips around the state. From whitewater rafting in Moab to world-class fishing on the Provo River, we have the trip of a lifetime for you. For more information on pre- and post-conference trip opportunities and registration visit www.owaa.org/2011conference.
For more information on the state, please visit the Utah Office of Tourism website at www.visitutah.com.

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Snowbird Resort has plenty to offer summer travelers

OWAA staff — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:59:40 +0000

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BY JARED ISHKANIAN
Snowbird Resort Public Relations Director
Even though the snow continues to pile up (310 inches as of Feb. 1) here at Snowbird Resort in Utah, we’re already preparing for your visit this summer!
For those who aren’t familiar, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is a legendary year-round mountain destination, offering award-winning ski terrain, a variety of summer activities, elite meeting facilities, 882 lodging rooms and 15 restaurants and lounges, all within 30 minutes of downtown Salt Lake City.
July mountain temperatures tend to peak at about 80 degrees, providing plenty of sunshine for the wide variety of wildflowers, birds and wildlife which inhabit Little Cottonwood Canyon. Snowbird offers plenty of options for visitors to take advantage of the pleasant climate. More than 30 miles of official hiking, biking and mountain scootering trails can be accessed from the legendary Snowbird Aerial Tram which transports travelers up to the 11,000-foot Hidden Peak, offering stunning views of the surrounding Wasatch Mountains and Salt Lake Valley.
The base of Snowbird offers activities for the young and old, from the excitement of the Alpine Slide and ZipRider to a climbing wall, ropes course and more. Dining options range from sandwiches and groceries (including beer and liquor) at General Gritts to progressive New American cuisine of the Aerie Restaurant, located on the tenth floor of the Cliff Lodge. The Cliff also boasts the newly remodeled Cliff Spa, offering more than 30 treatments and salon services as well as a yoga studio, full fitness center, rooftop pool and hot tub with unparalleled mountain views.
In addition to all that Snowbird has to offer, we’re also conveniently located only minutes away from neighboring Alta, 30 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City and 45 minutes from Park City. We hope you’ll attend the 2011 OWAA Conference and experience all that Snowbird and Utah have to offer. For more info about Snowbird, visit http://www.snowbird.com.

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Proximity of national parks ‘exquisite torture’ for 2011 conference-goers

OWAA staff — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:21:28 +0000

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BY BRETT PRETTYMAN
2011 CONFERENCE LOCAL COMMITTEE CHAIR
It was hard to determine just where to begin when it came to bragging about having my home state host the 2011 annual OWAA conference and what that means to our members and supporting groups. So, like many others appointed as local committee chair, I had others do my work for me when OU started publishing articles about the 2011 event.
Thanks to Hollie Brown of Utah State Parks, Mark Hadley of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Patrick O’Driscoll of the National Park Service for whetting our appetites in previous editions of OU with their descriptions of the plethora of stories and memories that await you here in Utah.
I have avoided my duties long enough and now, having entered the actual calendar year of the conference, it is time to get serious.
I’m not only excited about the conference returning to Utah (we were in St. George in 2001 and Salt Lake City in 1990), but also that the annual gathering of this country’s best outdoor writers is coming back to the West and will truly be held in the mountains.
That’s right. No need to drive anywhere to do a story. Just look out your window each morning and there it is. Nothing against any of the previous conference locales or states, but, well, Utah rocks.
Granted, as a lifelong resident I am a little biased.
The folks at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, the Utah Office of Tourism, OWAA headquarters and my local conference committee, including Tom Wharton and Brian Brinkerhoff, and Conference Program Chair Mark Taylor, are working hard to create a solid list of pre- and post-conference trips that will lead to stories and pay for your conference expenses.
For a list of tours, visit www.owaa.org/2011conference, and I hope you will be pleased with the diversity found there.
Also, we are working to create sponsored trips by building relationships between our supporting groups and tour providers.
Trout Unlimited partnered with Daggett County to sponsor the Fish Flaming Gorge trip. This free guided fly-fishing adventure takes place on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Reservoir in northeastern Utah. The Green is known well by anglers as one of the most productive and scenic fisheries in the world. Spots are limited, so register as soon as possible.
Are you a supporting group interested in sponsoring a trip like this? If so, contact me at brettp@sltrib.com. Don’t sweat the details; trips are already lined up. Visit the OWAA conference website (listed above) to view trips offered.
Featured trips range from multi-day whitewater rafting to mountain biking on high mountains in southern Utah. Tours of state museums loaded with ancient peoples’ artifacts and dinosaur bones await you. There are 20 National Park Service units within a day’s drive of Snowbird.
Wildlife stories include innovative fishing regulations on blue ribbon trout waters, to the world record non-typical bull elk (a.k.a. the Spider Bull), to some of the most important shorebird and waterfowl habitat on the continent.
If you are looking for something a little more gripping, Utah has its fair share of issue-related topics, including: invasive species, wild mustangs, bark beetles and stream access.
As the program chair, Taylor is dedicated to making sessions valuable tools to help each attendee become a better writer, photographer, videographer, blogger or all of the above.
He and I have talked about, and with, several possible keynote speakers. Nothing has been finalized as of yet, but we are excited about the possibilities.
The hot topic in the West has been wolf management and we are working on building a panel to discuss the issue.
Shooting day will be held at the Lee Kay Center for Hunter Education in the Salt Lake Valley. This world-class facility was also used at the 1990 OWAA conference, receiving raves reviews. Personnel and volunteer Hunter Safety instructors from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources are excited to once again host OWAA – and to see all the new firearms before their buddies do.
We are all reaching out to local outdoor-related businesses, and there are a ton of them in Utah and the surrounding states, encouraging them to get involved in OWAA, sharing their stories and gear with our members. I can’t say enough about the amazing staff at Snowbird. They are helping OWAA figure out the best way to accommodate the various needs of attendees.
Taylor and I set a goal for attendance at the Snowbird Conference and we feel the best way to reach that lofty number is by providing three days full of quality, educational and productive sessions surrounded by a wide variety of trips before and after our long weekend at one of the most scenic conference sites in recent memory.
All that said, we still seek advice and tips on how to make it the best conference ever. So, if you have thoughts, concerns or crazy ideas you think merit our attention, please e-mail them to me.
— Brett Prettyman is the 2011 OWAA Conference Local Committee Chair. A member since 1992, he is also a member of the OWAA Board of Directors. Prettyman is also an outdoor/recreation writer for The Salt Lake Tribune and author of “Fishing Utah,” second edition. Contact him at brettp@sltrib.com./em>
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Proximity of national parks ‘exquisite torture’ for 2011 conference-goers

OWAA staff — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 18:47:42 +0000

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BY PATRICK O’DRISCOLL
National Park Service public affairs specialist
If you like national parks, the July 9-11, 2011, meeting of the Outdoor Writers Association of America will be exquisite torture.
For three days in early July, you will be mostly cooped up indoors, within easy driving distance of more than 20 national parks and monuments.
Fortunately, you can spend the weeks before or after the conference reveling in them. You can hike, camp, explore and — yes, OK, if you insist — report, write and photograph in some of the National Park Service’s most iconic — or unexpected — locales.
Where to go first? To the west lies the desert mystery of the 200,000-square-mile Great Basin. To the south are Utah’s fabled red-rock canyons and all those iconic parks. To the north, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks beckon, a manageable 4-1/2-to 6-hour drive away.
Since you will fly or drive to the conference via Salt Lake City, any national park itinerary begins in the Utah state capital. The state’s 13 national park units all are within a day’s drive or less. Before you make a Beehive State beeline for the really famous ones, consider three closer by.
Just north of the Great Salt Lake, Golden Spike National Historic Site is a landmark in the settlement of the West. The wideopen emptiness of Promontory Summit awaits, as do exact replicas of the steam locomotives Jupiter and No. 119.
As the raven flies, Timpanogos Cave National Monument is barely seven miles from Snowbird. Lacking your own wings or a helicopter, it is still a quick 25-mile drive down Little Cottonwood Canyon. The cave tour’s cool temperature, a mere 45 degrees inside, is a welcome relief when it’s hot outside.
The third is Dinosaur National Monument, about three hours east by car. The Quarry Visitor Center of this original “Jurassic park,” with its wall of 1,500 exposed fossils, is closed for a $7.9 million reconstruction, reopening in autumn 2011. But the rest of Dinosaur is still a scenic wonder. Its Green River canyons figured in a key 20th-century environmental battle: The decision to dam the Colorado River at Glen Canyon instead of the Green River at Dinosaur’s Echo Park. Heat alert: July high temperatures average 91 degrees but can reach 100.
While we’re on fossils, two other ancient bone yards are close.
Fossil Butte National Monument in southwest Wyoming is about the same distance as Dinosaur — and also is on the way to Grand Teton and Yellowstone.
In southern Idaho, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument is less than four hours northwest of Salt Lake City. The park visitor center in town also has a historical display for another nearby NPS park, Minidoka Internment National Historic Site.
Meanwhile, if you have never visited the southern Utah canyon parks, the temptation to do so next summer will be overwhelming. One warning: In the height of summer, the heat is, well, high.
Daily peak temperatures in July average 100 degrees at Arches, Canyonlands and Zion national parks. The highs in Capitol Reef National Park are in the 90s and occasionally reach triple digits. The vast Glen Canyon National Recreation Area averages 97 degrees away from Lake Powell, where the surface temperature on the water is 78 degrees. Rainbow Bridge National Monument inside the recreation area, and Natural Bridges National Monument near Canyonlands, also average near 100. So does Hovenweep National Monument, an ancestral Pueblo archaeology site on the Utah-Colorado border.
However, you can scramble to higher, cooler ground in two Utah parks which have the same astonishing variety of bent, folded and eroded landscape. Bryce Canyon National Park visitor center sits at 8,000 feet, with an average temperature of 83 degrees in July. Cedar Breaks National Monument, at more than 10,000 feet, averages the 60s and 70s.
If heat is no object, you know what to do: Enjoy the solitude of some of the most sublime, twisted and colorful terrain on the planet. Hike, pedal, or dip a toe (or more) in the Colorado River, the Virgin River or Lake Powell. Ponder the wonders of the Colorado Plateau from the shade of a gnarled juniper, pinyon pine or cottonwood. As Edward Abbey wrote from Arches, “There are no vacant lots in nature.”
Five hours east of Salt Lake City is Colorado National Monument, which marks its 100th anniversary in 2011. Its 32 square miles of sandstone are a monument to the artistic force of erosion. The park also is a laboratory for the effects that a booming metro area, Grand Junction, can have on its own “backyard” playground.
If you head north to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, consider side trips, coming or going, to two more southern Idaho parks.
Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, about four hours north of Salt Lake City, has 60 lava fields, 25 volcanic cones and more than 300 caves. It also was a classroom for Apollo astronauts on the geology of what awaited them on the moon. City of Rocks National Reserve, near where Utah, Nevada and Idaho meet, is a magnet for rock climbers. For history buffs, there are the ruts of 19th century emigrant wagons and axel-grease graffiti on some rocks.
Lastly, consider a bury-the-lede plug for this author’s favorite of all the 393 parks in the National Park System.
Great Basin National Park is just over Utah’s western border with Nevada, about 4 1/2 hours away. Outside of Alaska, it is probably our nation’s most remote park. The former Lehman Caves National Monument (1922) grew from one square mile to 120 when it became Great Basin National Park in 1986.
What the park has: World-class caverns, sagebrush and pinyon-juniper woods, aspen-lined creeks, some of the darkest night skies in America, ancient bristlecone pines, and the Great Basin’s only glacier. That 3-acre rock glacier sits on 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, Nevada’s second-highest point. The whole park is above 4,000 feet, with warm but not blistering summers.
What the park does not have: Neon, slot machines, or people. It is our ninth least-visited national park site.

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